“"God’s Plans” Are Always Bigger" Than Your Circumstances!
Mark 4:35-41 MSG
35-38. Late that day he said to them, “Let’s go across to the other side.” They took him in the boat as he was. Other boats came along. A huge storm came up. Waves poured into the boat, threatening to sink it. And Jesus was in the stern, head on a pillow, sleeping! They roused him, saying, “Teacher, is it nothing to you that we’re going down?”
39-40. Awake now, he told the wind to pipe down and said to the sea, “Quiet! Settle down!” The wind ran out of breath; the sea became smooth as glass. Jesus reprimanded the disciples: “Why are you such cowards? Don’t you have any faith at all?”
41. They were in absolute awe, staggered. “Who is this, anyway?” they asked. “Wind and sea at his beck and call!”
Now we know, that the wind is not a living thing, but Jesus addressed it like it was,
He spoke to it, He commanded it, He took authority over it and it obeyed Him.
He didn’t consult the weather bureau, He didn’t bother checking the Doppler on His I-phone,
He spoke to it by faith, and it did what He told it to do immediately!
By the way, most of the men in the boat were fisherman, most had surely both seen and weathered a storm or two.
But this was no ordinary storm, we read the waves were pouring in the boat,
And they were probably large enough to capsize the boat that they were on.
When you’re the one involved in the storm, seldom does it ever seem ordinary!
Now why do you suppose, Jesus waited to come to the rescue, until they cried out for His help, He could have calmed it hours before,
after all He knew they were going to be heading into it, before they ever stepped into the boat.
Its Because until that exact moment, they didn’t think they were going to have to bother Him, with what was going on.
As I said, there were experienced fishermen, sailors if you will, on board.
They thought that they could handle it.
It was only when they realized they were going to die, that it was beyond they’re limitations, that they cried out for His help!
Isn't that how it usually always goes for all of us and that’s when they finally, gave Jesus the opportunity to shine.
Self effort never builds your faith, only when you cast your complete care on Him, does your faith have an opportunity to grow.
He spoke boldly to the storm, with the authority His Father had given to Him.
TBS. it was all authority in Heaven and on earth…..He spoke with amazing power!
He wanted the men in the boat, to realize they could address their situations the same way,
To speak to them, with faith in the Father and expect them to obey them!
He didn’t say Father please make the storm calm down, please make it stop!
No, there was no pleading tone in His voice, only faith!
He spoke the end result to start with, He wanted to show them that there was and is, nothing to big for the God of all possibilities! Amen??
*He didn’t have to wait,
*He didn’t have to turn around and survey the situation, to see if the storm was weakening
*He spoke to it by faith and moved on, that storm was never going to bother them again
Turn to Mark 11:20-24 NKJ.
20. Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots.
21. And Peter, remembering, said to Him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree which You cursed has withered away.”
Now if you remember the story, this was the same tree, Jesus had cursed the day before, for not bearing fruit and went on down the road.
He didn’t have to check it, to see what had happened to it, He knew from the moment He spoke the end result to it, what was going to happen.
He wanted them to know, they could do the same thing if they wanted to.
22. So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God.
23. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
24. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Why did He choose a mountain? He didn’t want there to be any parameters,
He could have chosen anything and it would have been impressive,
After all, they were impressed beyond belief, with the storm!
Mark 4:41 MSG
41. They were in absolute awe, staggered. “Who is this, anyway?” they asked. “Wind and sea at his beck and call!”
He picked a mountain, to build their faith, because nothing is impossible with God!
He said to address it, just like He did the storm,
“whoever says to this mountain,
(whoever, that would be you and me, are you with me?)
‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’
(that was the easy part, anyone can say those words, but the rest of it, is what we think is the hard part, because our self effort tells us that it is)
and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.
(its only hard, if we rely on our capabilities, my goodness, if we rely on Him, it ain’t hard at all, its easy)
He picked a mountain, He didn’t say which one, He left it open ended, pick one, the Rockies or the Appellations, the bigger the better!
because He wanted us to know, that there wasn’t and isn’t anything to hard, or Big, for God, He loves doing the impossible!
Amen???
That wasn’t the only mountain the bible ever talked about, being overcame.
Luke 1:36,37 MSG.
36. Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren.
37. For with God nothing will be impossible.”
Which mountain was harder for Him to move, this thing with Elizabeth, or all the others we’ve talked about so far,
none of them seemed possible, but all of them came about, because nothing, nothing is impossible with God.
Well that’s all good and dandy, we’ve talked about storms, trees, mountains and other people,
But what about me? I’ve been praying and seeking for a long time.
Sooner or later, it always comes back to, what about me.
Its easy to get discouraged, to lose hope and have your faith diminished.
TBS to have the faith of a "mustard seed", such a tiny amount, but sometimes it's hard to even muster up even that much isn't it?
Now we know the Apostle Paul had an amazing walk with the lord, don’'t we?
We know, that he penned 13 out of the 27 books in the New Testament, not including Hebrews, which some Bible scholars believe he wrote as well.
With all that to his credit, you would think his faith would never waiver,
after all he experienced Jesus Grace, first hand and wrote about it, in great detail,
do you suppose that there were ever times, when his faith was diminished?
Acts 27:13-15,18-24 NKJ
13. When the south wind blew softly, supposing that they had obtained their desire, putting out to sea, they sailed close by Crete.
14. But not long after, a tempestuous head wind arose, called Euroclydon.
(the MSG. refers to this as a nor-easter, or a gale force wind, it was probably similar to a hurricane, which means there was no escaping its pull)
15. So when the ship was caught, and could not head into the wind, we let her drive.
18. And because we were exceedingly tempest-tossed, the next day they lightened the ship.
19. On the third day we threw the ship’s tackle overboard with our own hands.
20. Now when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, and no small tempest beat on us, all hope that we would be saved was finally given up.”
all hope that we would be saved, “"We”" included Paul in that group.
But TB tells us in James 1:17 NKJ
17. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
If your in a situation and end result, looks like its going to be the end of you,
that’s not good and let me tell you, God gets no glory out of a situation like that, that’s not how He operates,
Jeremiah 29:11 NASB
11 For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope.
God has good plans for you, He wants the best for you,
sometimes we don’t always have control of the situation around us,
Either by our own choices or someone else’s,
but that does'nt change Gods agenda, does it?
Acts 27:21. But after long abstinence from food, then Paul stood in the midst of them and said, “Men, you should have listened to me, and not have sailed from Crete and incurred this disaster and loss.
22. And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.
23. For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve,
24. saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must be brought before Caesar; and indeed God has granted you all those who sail with you.’
Even Paul had to be reminded of Gods plan, In this instant, God had to send an angel,
to remind him of what he had already told him would happen.
Go back four chapters, to Acts 23:11 NKJ
11. But the following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”
the Lord stood by him and said, “Be of good cheer, Paul; for as you have testified for Me in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness at Rome.”
You would think, that would have been a pretty memorable moment, wouldn’t you?
One that would not have been easily forgotten and you would be right,
Except for one thing, the devil and his sabotaging bag of tricks,
Whether its hurtful words, sickness, or even a nor easter, hurricane type storm in your life, he will pull out all the stops,
to try to alter or end Gods plan for you in your life!
But Jesus Plans, are always…....Jesus Plans, are always bigger, than the storms of life!
Praise God, shout it from the roof tops!
Jesus had already spoken that Paul was going to see Caesar,
Dieing on a boat, by a storm caused at sea, wasn’t a part of it.
Jesus will always get you the word you need to hear, to fulfill the plan He has for your life! (Repeat)
It may be delivered by an angel, a friend, a preacher, a complete stranger, maybe in the words of a certain song just at the right time, or even as in Paul’s case, in person.
Matthew 6:33 NKJ
33. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Seek Gods Will and His plan and all the things He has for you, will be added unto you.
His plans will keep you safe, His word will get rid of the storms! Amen?
Ill. The year was 1820 and Peter Richley was a grateful man. He had survived one of the strangest and most harrowing events known to mankind. The ship which he had been traveling on sank. He was rescued. By some strange twist of circumstance, however, this ship sank.
He was rescued again. But, this third ship sank likewise. He was rescued for a fourth time. Yet, his fourth ship of passage soon sank. And unbelievably, he was rescued for a fifth time, but this fifth ship sank as well.
It would have been laughable had it not been so serious. On the high seas, however, he floated with the serene confidence that somehow God did not want him to die.
And sure enough, as if on cue, another ship came by and answered his call for help.
This ocean liner, The City of Leeds, was named after it’s British city of origin. It was bound from England to Australia and traveled the same sea lane as all of Peter Richley’s downed ships.
The crew of The City of Leeds hoisted Peter aboard. Dry clothing was provided to Peter. The ship’s doctor gave him a cursory exam, pronounced him fit, and then asked an unusual favor.
“There’s a lady on board who booked passage to Australia,” the doctor explained. “She’s looking for her son who disappeared years ago.
She’s dying and she’s asking to see her son. She knows everybody on board and since you’re the only newcomer, would you pretend to be her son?”
Peter agreed. After all, his life had now been saved for the fifth time. He followed the doctor below deck and entered into a cabin.
There on a small bed lay a frail woman with silvered-hair. She was obviously suffering from a very high fever.
Deliriously, she was crying out. “Please God. Let me see my son before I die. I must see my son!”
The ship’s doctor gently pushed the young man toward the bed. Soon, however, Peter Richley began sobbing. For lying there on that bed was the reason that he couldn’t seem to die.
Here was the lifeline that had kept him from drowning five times. For lying on that bed was none other than Sarah Richley— who had prayed for ten years to be reconciled to her son, Peter.
The ship’s doctor stood in amazement as the young man fell down by the bed and embraced the sick woman.
“I’m here mom! I’m here. It’s me!” Within days the fever had subsided and his mother awakened to find an answered prayer seated on the edge of her bed.
God had not forgotten, He had been working all that time, to bring that moment in time together for the both of them.
No matter how it may seem, He is always faithful, working behind the scenes, to bring about, what were believing Him for!
Gods Plans, are always bigger than life’s storms.
He who began a good work in you, will be faithful to complete it.
It may not look like it right now, But God is not moved by the way things look, in our lives, He is moved by our faith!
This is a word today for someone and I encourage you, to not only hear it, but accept it and apply it to your life right now, this very moment!
And know that God has not forgotten you,
He loves you, this is the moment He has been waiting for,
To bring about what you have been seeking Him for.
If that’s you, I want you to come now, today is the day of your salvation
